Adult Learner Engagement Model for City Colleges
Clients: City Colleges of Chicago
Partners: BCG
Consulting Capability: Strategy Development
Challenge: City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) is committed to serving adult learners aged 25 or older, or ages 18-24 with adult responsibilities such as parenthood, full-time work, or military service. The 2021 - 2025 Strategic Framework includes a vision to be recognized as the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity. To further this commitment, the CCC partnered with Civic Consulting Alliance to develop a broader framework for engaging and supporting adult learners.'
Action: Civic Consulting Alliance and BCG evaluated the current model for engaging, enrolling, educating, and supporting adult learners and developed a more effective model to reach this population. Our partners at BCG supported the development of a playbook to strengthen, scale, and implement best practices observed at CCC and in other community college systems across the country. The final deliverables included a “walkaround” deck to engage various stakeholders, and a key performance indicator dashboard to measure progress and focus on continuous improvement.
Result: City Colleges of Chicago now has a robust framework for supporting adult learners that is more aligned with its Strategic Framework, and specific action steps that will make adult learners’ engagement with CCC more seamless and effective. By prioritizing recruiting and retaining adult students, CCC empowers individuals to achieve their educational goals and advance their careers. This strategic focus will increase opportunities for socioeconomic mobility among adult learners and contribute to a stronger, more equitable Chicago region.
